


World of My Dream

by KelliDiane



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space Opera, M/M, a lot of it is the three of them by themselves, and harry's new band, inspired by 2112 by RUSH, nick grimshaw for like two seconds, there's literally no other characters in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-15 22:40:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14799348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelliDiane/pseuds/KelliDiane
Summary: Megadon was a perfect city. There was never a crime committed and people were always happy to lend a helping hand. The priests at the temples were always sure to keep peace and order. They commanded that all homes constructed needed to be exactly the same. They were all to be equal and no one was to stand out. The people of Megadon all wore the same white garb and their houses were all a dingy grey. Individuality was never encouraged within the city limits.Niall was pulled from his thoughts as smoke curled it’s way over in front of his balcony and added to the dreary scene before him. Looking over to the home next to him, he knew his neighbour was on his own balcony smoking away. A small smile came over his face at the thought of having these private conversations with Louis at three in the morning every day. “Hey, Louis.”ORNiall finds an ancient device that terrifies the ruler of their society and Louis can't stop dreaming of a better world.





	World of My Dream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sullenhearts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sullenhearts/gifts).



> For Sullenhearts-
> 
> I really hope you like this. It just sort of... Happened. I remember reading your requests and being so lost on a plot of anything. It took me a good week or two to think of this. Honestly, I was just laying in bed listening to music and it came to me. I hope you like this. (:

_‘I lie awake, staring out at the bleakness of Megadon. City and sky become one, merging into a single plane, a vast sea of unbroken grey. The Twin Moons, just two pale orbs as they trace their way across the steely sky. I used to think I had a pretty good life here, just plugging into my machine for the day, then watching Templevision or reading a Temple Paper in the evening.’_

Niall sits on his balcony, a steaming cup of tea in his hand as he looks out over the sleeping city. He thinks over everything that happened that day and he wonders, not for the first time, if he’s missing out on something. That thought disappears just as quickly as it appears, though. He’s learned about the elder race of man and knows that the line of thinking he just started leads to destruction and pain. He knows he can’t question his place here in Megadon.

Megadon was a perfect city. There was never a crime committed and people were always happy to lend a helping hand. The priests at the temples were always sure to keep peace and order. They commanded that all homes constructed needed to be exactly the same. They were all to be equal and no one was to stand out. The people of Megadon all wore the same white garb and their houses were all a dingy grey. Individuality was never encouraged within the city limits.

Niall was pulled from his thoughts as smoke curled it’s way over in front of his balcony and added to the dreary scene before him. Looking over to the home next to him, he knew his neighbour was on his own balcony smoking away. A small smile came over his face at the thought of having these private conversations with Louis at three in the morning every day. “Hey, Louis.”

“Hey, Niall.” Louis’ voice was gruff and strained from lack of use.

Niall had never heard Louis talk except for these small conversations between them. He remembers growing up next to Louis, though, and how the boy’s mouth would get him in trouble weekly (if not daily) by the priests at the temple. He wonders if maybe Louis has learned not to speak his mind like he did so adamantly when he was younger. He remembers Louis describing his dreams to anyone that would listen and the world that his subconscious created always sounded so inviting.

Louis called this imaginary place Terra and would try and draw out the intricate plants and things he would see in his dreams. Niall especially remembers Louis saying that the sky was always a shade of bright blue. Except sometimes, when the sky would become a dark grey and water would fall from the heavens just to ensure that the blue would return. He spoke of so many vivid colours and wonderful images that the whole of the Temple Boys would get excited and hope to dream of this amazing landscape.

Niall remembers the priests entering the Learning Room and dragging Louis out by the arm or sometimes by the hair. Louis would always kick and fight and try his hardest to break free from the priests’ hold, but they would never back down. Louis would be gone for hours at a time and his shouts and pleas could be heard throughout the Learning Room while he was gone. By the time he was returned for his education, he would be pale and sickly looking with bruises marring his normally tanned skin.

“Any more dreams about Terra? I’ve been thinking a lot about those dreams you talked about as a child. Just… A blue sky doesn’t even seem possible.” Niall asks as he sips at his now slightly cooled tea. “You always had the greatest stories.”

It’s quiet for a minute or two as Louis lights up another cigarette and starts to inhale that one as well. “I thought everyone wrote me off as crazy because of those dreams. Especially since the priests dropped me from Temple Boys. My mother was so angry with me. I don’t think she’s truly forgiven me, honestly.”

“How old is she?”

“Forty two,” Louis says softly. He knows that he should recant his statements soon for his mother’s sake.

Niall sips at his tea as he thinks about his own mother. She would have been fifty one this year. “She has three years then? Three years till she hits termination age at least. I can tell you from experience, it isn’t easy to watch the termination process. My mum was terminated six years ago and my da was terminated four years ago.”

“I really don’t want to talk about this,” Louis says quickly. The thought of the priests showing up to collect his mother on her forty fifth birthday is enough to bring tears to his eyes. “If we lived on Terra, then we wouldn’t have a termination age. The termination law is so… It’s cruel and everyone lives in fear of it. If the priests are so wise, why can’t they see that their citizens are terrified of them?”

“Because that fear is what keeps them in power.” Niall finishes his tea before sighing heavily. “We should head back to sleep. Templevision will wake us soon and we’ll have to head out to the machines for the day.”

Louis says nothing for a moment, the cigarette slowly burning between his fingers. “Good night, Niall. I hope that the day brings you nothing but joy and everything you could hope for.”

With that said, the two return to their respective homes.

Niall lies awake for a while, though. The thought of people older than his mother was when she had been taken swirling through his mind kept him up. Terra sounded like a world away, a better world honestly. He wonders if he would ever be able to see the dreams that Louis has seen.

He knows better than to ask Louis to upload them to the database.

\------------

_‘My friend Liam always said it was nicer here than under the atmospheric domes of the Outer Planets. We have had peace since 2062, when the surviving planets were banded together under the Red Star of the Solar Federation. The less fortunate gave us a few new moons. I believed what I was told. I thought it was a good life, I thought I was happy. Then I found something that changed it all…’_

Niall didn’t understand why he had been stopped on his way to the machines that morning. He doesn’t know why the priests specifically picked him for this assignment, but he accepted it with grace- the way he was taught to accept anything from the priests.

He had been taken to a room inside the Temple and shown a recording from the ancient ruins. The priests explained that something had been caught catching the light of the suns and that Niall was to leave the protection of the city walls to retrieve whatever was out there. They supplied him with dehydrated food packets and enough heavy water to last him for three days. Then without so much as a good luck, he was taken to the city gates and sent out.

He knew where the ruins were located and quickly headed off in that direction. The landscape outside of the city was a rough and rocky terrain that Niall had never encountered before. He climbed up and down rocks to try and make his way towards the ruins. There was dust everywhere and Niall coughed as it tickled his throat and entered his nose. The sky was a dull grey with flecks of brown streaked across it and the sun filtered down through a smoggy haze.

Niall stops at a low point in the rocks where the higher up rocks cast long shadows across his hiding place and he opens his first pack of water and rations. The food was bland and grey, like everything else in the city. The water sat heavily in his undernourished stomach and he could feel the sun pounding down on his back and making him sweat through the white tunic the priests sent him in. As much as the desolate landscape seems to object to his presence there, he finds it quite peaceful and he’s not entirely sure that it used to be this dead.

With the ruins still about an hour’s walk away for him, he decides to hurry along and hopefully find the place where his ancestors gathered. His breathing becomes ragged as the dirt around him is disturbed and he feels like he’s ingesting more dust than oxygen. He wonders how people survive the trip to the ruins and still seem to be in perfect health when they return. He’s contemplating another rest when something catches his eye about fifty feet ahead.

The entrance to the ruins towers high above him and his heart stops for a second as he wonders what this may have been used for. He remembers learning about elaborate ceremonies where thousands of the elder race would gather and listen to the priests of old play music and entertain for hours on end. He wonders if he’s walking on sacred ground or if he should remove his feet coverings as a sign of respect.

He climbs the last bit of rocky terrain until he reaches the entrance to the ruins and his breath is stolen as he looks over the intricate carvings that grace the rock formation. Symbols of lines and circles cover the entrance doorway and Niall can just make out some weird coloured substance making up faded pictures on the rocks as well.

He steps inside the archway that seems to lead to an even bigger room. The walls of this room are smeared with colour and Niall can hardly contain his excitement at the beauty he’s stumbled upon. No one has ever told him just how beautiful these ruins are and he’s suddenly thankful for the chance to see them for himself. The sun creeps slowly into the long hallway and he wanders around looking at all the symbols and wondering what they could mean. He knew the elder race of man was primitive, but these elaborate symbols with no words show him things he’s never seen before.

There’s one that stands out more than any other to him and it is of a man that has been filled in with gold flakes as he stands there with his knees turned inward and some sort of strange device slung across his torso that he seems to be holding with care. The hair of the man is elaborately styled up and away from his face and it seems to be shiny even though it is the darkest black Niall has ever seen.

Crouching down, he wipes away and a layer of dirt. This one picture seems to have words at the bottom and Niall tries to commit the letters to memory. E-L-V-I-S P-R-E-S-L-E-Y. He isn’t sure what the strange markings spell- neither word they create are in the database that the priests have compiled over the decades of peace. He wonders just how this ancient temple (for surely that is what this building must be and these pictures must be depictions of the gods the elder race worshipped) could withstand the test of time.

He continues down the long hallway, wiping away at dirt and finding more words that he’s never seen before. B-E-A-T-L-E-S, B-E-A-C-H-B-O-Y-S, R-O-L-L-I-N-G-S-T-O-N-E-S, A-R-E-T-H-A-F-R-A-N-K-L-I-N, and so many more. He wonders why the priests have kept these ruins in such disarray when so much of their history and culture seems tied to this place. He continues to the end until he comes to another large set of doors with an inscription that reads A-U-D-I-T-O-R-I-U-M, but he knows before even opening the doors that this must be their sacred sanctuary.

Niall looks above the door to finally see words that he knows, he understands. “The meek shall inherit the Earth.”

\------------

_'The massive grey walls of the Temples rise from the heart of every Federation city. I have always been awed by them, to think that every single facet of every life is regulated and directed from within! Our books, our music, our work and play are all looked after by the benevolent wisdom of the priests...'_

Louis looks out his window as he can see the Federation Soldiers marching through the streets. They push citizens out of their way and show around a piece of paper. It’s obvious they’re looking for someone, but it doesn’t click until he sees a citizen point up to his balcony that they’re coming for him.

It’s a bit nauseating thinking that he’s going to be hauled down to the Temple and interrogated once more. He doesn’t know what he could have possibly done; he hasn’t spoken about his dreams since he was a teenager. He retreats into the clothes storage in his room as he hears banging on his front door. His heart rate picks up as he hides and his breath stops as the sound of his front door being broken down reaches him. 

All Louis can hear for a bit is footsteps stomping around his home and orders being shouted out to find him. It’s all quite terrifying until it gets worse. He can hear them just outside his bedroom, throwing their weight against the door to open the locked barrier. When the wood finally splinters, he retreats as far as he can to ensure that he’s hidden. He holds his breath as he watches the shadows pass in front of his hiding place and he prays to whatever benevolent being may be looking out for him that they leave without him.

He must not be as quiet as he thought. The soldiers are pushing aside the tunics hanging above him and soon enough he’s being dragged up from the floor of his closet by his hair. “Leave me alone! I haven’t done anything! I stopped just like the priests wanted!” He is dragged roughly down the stairs, the stairs hitting sharply into his back every time they descend a bit lower. He’s finally pushed to the floor of his parlour and several stun guns are trained on him.

Louis cowers on the floor, too hurt and scared to really move. He shuts his eyes tightly as another man enters the room. “Louis Tomlinson, by order of the Priests of Syrinx, you are under arrest for treason. You will be taken to the Temple for further questioning about this treacherous crime.”

He can feel them shackling his wrists together before he is hauled to his feet and shoved out of his own home. His neighbours are all outside their homes, staring and whispering as he’s marched through the streets towards the temple. He looks up to the house next to his as a last effort to find a friendly face, but Niall is nowhere to be seen.

Once he is brought to the temple, he is thrown into the isolation rooms that he remembers so well from his childhood. He knows what will happen next and that makes him cry out in desperation. His nails scrape against the walls hoping to claw his way out of this god-forsaken room. His voice is raw and his fingers are bleeding by the time the door is thrown open and two priests stand in the doorway.

“Welcome back, Louis. I do believe we need to talk about your dreams again.” One of the priests says coldly. His eyes are narrowed into slits and the yellow glow they emit has haunted Louis for years.

“I don’t have those dreams anymore. Please, I haven’t talked about them for years. I don’t know anything new!” Louis is crying, tears pour down his cheeks as he does his best to back away from the imposing figures.

The second priest laughs lightly, a sickening sound to Louis’ ears. “Now, now, Louis. You know exactly what’s going to happen to you, don’t you? We just need to borrow your memories.”

Louis breaks at that and crumbles to the floor. “Please don’t do this. I don’t understand why you’re doing this.” He doesn’t want to go through the excruciating process of having his memories ripped from his mind and splayed for the entire council of priests to see. He knows the punishment for even having the thoughts that these dreams conjured up for him.

“We are doing this because the idea of Terra has spread through the population. We must find this star system and crush it,” the second priest says angrily. “We've taken care of everything- the words you read, the songs you sing, the pictures that give pleasure to your eyes. It's one for all and all for one; we work together, common sons, never need to wonder how or why.”

The first priest nods vigorously in agreement with his counterpart. “Look around at this world we've made, equality our stock in trade. Come and join the Brotherhood of Man! Oh, what a nice, contented world! Let the banners be unfurled; hold the Red Star proudly high in hand.”

Louis is once more grabbed and dragged through a never ending maze of halls. He can hear a sort of monotone chant coming from up ahead and the sound sends a chill down his spine. It grows louder the farther they descend into the maze until it’s a near loud buzzing in his ears. Passing an open door, Louis realises that this where the chant is coming from.

He is terrified at what he sees inside.

People of all ages, some of Louis’ friends even, are all there plugged into their machines and eyes solely fixated on the devices in front of them. The devices all seem to be playing the same thing and that is where the chanting is originating.

“We are the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx. Our great computers fill the hallowed halls. We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx. All the gifts of life are held within our walls.”

\------------

_'...Behind my beloved waterfall, in the little room that was hidden beneath the cave, I found it. I brushed away the dust of the years, and picked it up, holding it reverently in my hands. I had no idea what it might be, but it was beautiful...'_

Niall stares up at the ornately decorated walls of what he knows to be a sanctuary. There is no other reason for a room to be this ostentatious. His footsteps echo softly through the empty chamber and he feels a shudder run through him. He can see a raised platform ahead of him and he wonders if maybe this was his ancestor’s version of an altar since the individual benches that filled the room seem to all be facing that way. He can’t believe the wonders he is seeing.

He hurries to the altar and sees a set of steps of to the side. Happiness floods through him as he climbs them carefully and looks out at the sanctuary. His breath is stolen away as he takes in the sheer size of the room. There was even a balcony like structure that held more individual benches! He guessed that the entire population of Megadon, a modest two thousand, could easily fill this room and still have extra benches for more people. He stands center front of the massive altar and tries to imagine the room filled with people.

Suddenly, there’s a flash of light and Niall stumbles backwards falling so he’s sitting on the altar. He grabs at his head as visions and sounds he’s never heard before fill his mind. People chanting, a weird metallic sound playing softly, screams; him standing at the edge of the altar with his arms spread wide, people reaching up to him trying to touch him, something strapped across his chest. 

The visions vanish just as fast as they appear, leaving Niall on the floor with a cold sweat on his brow. He doesn’t know what he just experienced, but he knows it was different than anything he’s ever seen or heard in Megadon. He falls back so he’s laid out on the altar to try and catch his breath. He shuts his eyes tightly and tries his best to block the images from disappearing or even uploading themselves onto the database.

He knows the priests will not approve of whatever he just saw.

He turns his head to the side, finally opening them once more to take in his surroundings again. That’s when he hears it.

A small sound of trickling water coming from behind a veil off the side of the altar. 

He pushes himself up to his feet and follows the sound of water behind the veil. He has to stop just beyond as he peeks around the cloth to ensure he doesn’t fall.

There, behind the veil, is a giant valley that seems to be a recent change. He kneels down to get a closer look at the rocks. He figures the running water he heard must have eroded enough of the organic material away over time to create this underground cave of sorts. It had created a lake of sorts and the shimmering waters surface was enough to dimly light the cavern. He’s amazed at the sights before him and he wonders how such a place can even exist.

He’s about to head back to the sanctuary when he sees it. A shimmer of something behind a small glowing waterfall. He licks his lips slowly wetting them as he thinks of various ways to get down there without injuring himself. 

He carefully climbs down into the newly created valley and steps over the rocks he can see are covered in water. He slips once or twice, grazing his hands against the rough terrain and scraping his knees a few times as well, but he keeps going. He needs to know what he’s found.

Making it to the bottom and across the cavern where he can make it around the tiny waterfall without drenching himself, Niall grabs the artifact and holds it close to his eyes to try and see exactly what he’s found. He does his best to wipe away the dirt that seems to be caked onto the smooth surface below. 

\------------

Louis breathes heavily, trying to catch his breath. He can feel the sweat on his forehead even though he feel freezing, like he’d never be warm again. He’s shivering and curled in on himself against the white walls of the isolation room. They had stripped him of his robes and had clothed him in nothing but a thin material around his waist so that he would at least be covered to preserve some dignity, but dignity was the furthest thing from his mind right now.

They had stolen his memories and dreams again. They had strapped him into a chair and ripped open his mind looking for the dreams he had locked tightly away so he would never see them again. They had finally found them and ripped them from his mind never to be put back. He couldn’t picture Terra anymore and that thought hurt more than anything the priests could do to him.

Terra had been his safe world. Whenever things got too rough for him to handle here on Megadon he had retreated to fields of green and cities exploding with colour. He often let himself lie down in green luscious grass and stare up at sky so blue it almost looked unreal. He let himself climb tall trees and look out over fields roaming with animals he had never seen before.

Now he had nowhere.

\------------

_'...I learned to lay my fingers across the wires, and to turn the keys to make them sound differently. As I struck the wires with my other hand, I produced my first harmonious sounds and soon my own music! How different it could be from the music of the Temples! I can't wait to tell the priests about it!...'_

Niall finally got enough dirt off the artifact to see that it was some sort of musical instrument. He assumes it was used in ceremonies up in the sanctuary above. The visions from earlier play through his mind again and he realises that this was the object strapped to his chest. He tentatively picks at one of the wires on the instrument and gasps as a metallic sound fills the area.

He continues to pluck at the strings letting the sounds fill the cavern around him. He wonders how the priests could not know about this amazing device. He shifts the way he holds the instrument and stiffens as a multitude of notes comes blaring out. Smiling he tries it again and again until he seems to make melody that he can hum to.

He gets a crazy idea and touches the small circular implant just below the skin if his temple. He blinks a few times till he’s sure he is recording his find. He plays a few notes and tries to make words that fit his upbeat strumming. “What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it gives forth a sound. It's got wires that vibrate and give music! What can this thing be that I found? See how it sings like a sad heart and joyously screams out its pain! Sounds that build high like a mountain or notes that fall gently like rain.”

He plays around with the instrument for a little longer, turning the round pegs towards the top of the device and delighting when he realised that they changed the sound that emitted from the device. He laughs happily as he continues to make small little tunes. “I can't wait to share this new wonder; the people will all see its light. Let them all make their own music; the Priests praise my name on this night.”

Niall stands and keeps the instrument to his chest and spins as he continues to play. He’s never felt so alive.

\------------

“Get up.”

Louis can feel the pressure in his back as he opens his eyes. He realises quickly enough that the priests are back and trying to move him. He only whimpers before sitting up as best he can. “I have nothing else for you to take. What have I done that you feel the need to keep me here? Please let me go. Let me return to my mother and spend her last few years with a family together. Please.”

The priest grabs him by his upper arm and drags him to his feet. “Your friend has returned from the ruins beyond the city and the priests require your attendance for his findings.”

Not knowing what the man was talking about, Louis just sags and allows himself to be dragged from his prison and into the grand meeting room. He keeps his head ducked so he doesn’t have to see the seven high priests sitting up on their thrones. The image of them up high has always terrified him since it was always the sight he would see as a child before they begin their torturous ways of extracting Terra from him.

He is shoved to the floor and told to kneel with his back to the seven men who, only hours ago, were inside his mind.

“Fathers, Niall Horan has returned from the ruins and wishes to speak with you about his findings.”

Louis’ head snaps up as he sees his neighbour enter the room. He has never been so happy to see the blond before. He looks at his friend pleadingly.

Niall bows happily to the elders gathered before him when he spots Louis. His smile quickly fades and is replaced with a frown. “Louis? Why is he here? Where are his clothes? What have you done to him?”

The head priest waves away the boy’s concern. “We needed information about Terra that only he could provide. He resisted and is now reaping his punishment for defying us.”

“But he hadn’t dreamed of Terra in years. Surely he was just scared of providing incorrect information. I know Louis and he would never betray his family or the people of Megadon willingly.” Niall takes a step towards his battered friend. “Please… He looks scared and-”

“What is your discovery, 232677?”

Niall is taken aback. He hasn’t been called by his identification number since he was a child. He had picked his name at his coming of age and had since always been addressed as such. Being called by your number after choosing your name was a great insult. He swallowed his pride and bowed his head. “I know it's most unusual to come before you so, but I've found an ancient miracle I thought that you should know. Listen to my music and hear what it can do. There's something here as strong as life; I know that it will reach you.”

He sets his pack on the ground carefully and pulls the instrument from the coverings he had used as protection.

There is a murmur around the room as he unwraps the device and the air quickly fills with tension. Louis dares a look up at the priests and he can see the worry and recognition on their faces as they eye the device.

Niall begins to play, a smile taking over his features once more and Louis can’t help but smile as well as the sweet sounds fill the air. He’s heard these sounds before in his dreams and he wants to cry as the sounds bring back shades of colour and memories of his dreams. He closes his eyes tightly and tries his hardest to will the memories to stick in his mind once more.  
“Stop.”

_'...In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim, expressionless faces. Father Walsh rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed  
throughout the silent Temple Hall...'_

“Yes, we know, it's nothing new. It's just a waste of time. We have no need for ancient ways; the world is doing fine.” He steps down from his throne and makes his way towards Louis. He grabs the boy by his hair, dragging him along till he stops in front of Niall with his other hand outstretched and waiting to be handed the device. “ Another toy that helped destroy the elder race of man… Forget about your silly whim. It doesn't fit the plan.”

Niall looks at the high priest shocked. He thought allowing the people of Megadon to have a little bit of freedom to express themselves would be a good thing. He doesn’t understand why the priests don’t understand or why they’re so fixated to squashing any sort of happiness from their people. He knows that Louis would be much happier if he could share his wonderful visions. “I can't believe you're saying…. These things just can't be true. Our world could use this beauty; just think what we might do! Listen to my music and hear what it can do. There's something here as strong as life; I know that it will reach you.”

The priest grows angry at being defied and rips the instrument from Niall’s hands before throwing it to the ground. “Don't annoy us further! We have our work to do. Just think about the average; what use have they for you? Another toy that helped destroy the elder race of man… Forget about your silly whim. It doesn't fit the Plan!”

_'...Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection! Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet...'_

\------------

Niall is permitted to return to his home and he bargains for Louis’ freedom as well. They are both confined to Niall’s home and are under constant surveillance, but at least they’re away from the priests who wouldn’t hesitate to terminate them.

Louis has done nothing but sit on the balcony of Niall’s room and stare off into the distance. Niall wonders if he should say anything to his friend. Heating up a mug of drink for them, he heads out to talk to Louis.

“You know, I think I saw a vision of Terra. Granted it was much different than how you describe it. I was out at the ruins and I found an old temple. I was in the sanctuary when I got really dizzy and suddenly the room was warm and dark and filled with people yelling and shouting in happiness. I was just standing there, absorbing all of the screams and shouts like they were for me. I had that… I had that instrument in my hands and I was playing it like I knew was a master at it.” He hands Louis his own mug and takes a seat next to his friend.

“Concert,” Louis says softly.

Niall frowns, “what?”

“You were at a concert. Terra has them often. Artists that travel the entire planet and play their craft for hundreds and thousands of people. I’ve been to one..” Louis stares down at his drink, suddenly fascinated with the ripples in the liquid

“You’ve not been to one. We don’t have them here on Megadon. We don’t even have artists.”

Louis sighs and looks at the street below. The guards would be unseeable to others, but Louis knows where they like to hide. He’s been watched ever since he was a little boy. “We need to head inside. This conversation isn’t safe out here.”

Following Louis’ eyes, Niall sees the inconspicuous family that had been placed in the home across the street when Louis had first moved in next door. Now that he knows they’re being watched, it’s easy to tell that the father of the unit seems a little too distant and rigid with the others. He’s a soldier and he’s been assigned to watch Louis- and now Niall.

They stand and head inside, careful to ensure that they shut the door tightly and disconnect from the implants for the night.

“I’ve been to a concert,” Louis starts, “but in my dreams. There’s a lot I never told anyone about because I was terrified that the priests would take him too. My dreams have always been connected to a single person. It’s like I get to see and live his life in my dreams. He… He’s amazing. I’ve never met someone with so many friends and things to do. It’s weird seeing his life from his eyes because I can’t control anything. His voice is deep and his words are slow and purposeful. It’s almost like he analyses everything he says to make sure whoever he is talking to isn’t upset or anything. I think his name is Harry. That’s what people who talk to him call him at least.”

Niall sips his warm drink as he settles on his bed. He tries to process what Louis says knowing that his friend is being open and honest with him like never before. 

“One of the times I was dreaming as him, he went to a concert. The music was amazing. It was so real and honest and the artist was so emotional. The instrument you found? It’s called a guitar. It’s so versatile. I will never forget watching the artists on the stage. Harry felt so happy; he was singing and jumping around. It was honestly one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had and it wasn’t even my experience.”

Looking across the small space at Louis, Niall wonders if such a place could actually exist. “If Terra really is a paradise, we have to get there. There’s nothing here for us. We’ll be watched until we hit termination age and we’ll have no freedom. There’s no way they’ll just let us roam the streets and experience a normal life. We have to get to Terra.”

“But how?”

Niall shrugs. “We’ll figure it out. I promise, Lou. You’re not alone anymore. Terra is ours now. You don’t ever have to worry about me.” He sets his empty cup on the table beside his bed and takes Louis’ as well. “For now, let’s just sleep. It’s been a long two days for us. I’m sure you need rest after being back in the Temple.”

Louis nods and looks down to the comforter Niall has spread across his mattress. It was bright white just like every other article of clothing and linens that was provided by the Temple. “Do you mind if I sleep here with you. I don’t think I could be alone right now.”

“Of course. I don’t want you out of my sight while we’re being watched. I don’t trust the priests and I don’t trust their spies.” He moves around a bit until he’s able to wiggle the comforter free from under them before he settles. “Dream well, Louis. Dream of our home on Terra.”

\------------

_“Harry!”_

_The tall gangly lad turns when he hears his name shouted and smiles brightly. “Nick! It’s been awhile, mate. How’s the radio show going?”_

_There’s a few minutes of catching up and banter back and forth before Harry feels a massive headache come upon him suddenly. He tries to hide the grimace as best he can, but he knows Nick sees it the second it happens._

_“Are you still dealing with these headaches? It’s been years, mate. You’ve been getting them for as long as I’ve known you. Why don’t you get them checked out?” Nick looks genuinely worried for his friend. “What if it’s like a massive brain tumour and you’re ignoring it?”_

_Harry rolls his eyes at his overly dramatic friend. “For your information, I did get them checked out. There’s nothing wrong. Apparently, it’s just a massive spike in activity. The doctors can’t explain it. They said that it’s enough activity for two people and, obviously, my brain isn’t made to take that much activity. It’s not constant, and it died down for awhile, but it’s been back lately. It’s been a weird couple of months though. The headaches were coming back in frequency and I’ve been hearing snippets of music that I’ve never heard before.”_

_Nick frowns. “Maybe you’re just creating music subconsciously?”_

_“Then why is it in someone else’s voice?”_

_The colours fade away and suddenly Louis is no longering viewing Harry’s life. He frowns and looks about. He’s never been willingly pulled from Harry’s mind before. He calls out, wondering if this is another trick of the priests._

_Suddenly a statue of a woman is in front of him, eyes glowing a bright white. Her arm rigidly stretches out for Louis, beckoning him to follow her._

_Louis reaches out to take her hand. The moment his fingers touch hers, there’s a flash of light and he’s transported to the top of a spiraling staircase in the middle of a cavern. He looks about and can see the ruins above him. This must have been where Niall found the guitar. He looks down to see a small lake of water, glowing almost the same as the statue’s eyes._

_“What is this place?”_

_She gestures for him to look over the edge and into the water._

_Louis does as he’s told._

\------------

Gasping for air, Louis sits up in bed and immediately grabs at his head to try to soothe the splitting ache he can feel pounding at his temples. He looks over to wake Niall up, but immediately is confused when he sees the bed beside him empty.

He hears footsteps though soon and is relieved to see Niall frowning over a piece of paper. “Niall!”

The blond jumps a bit. “You scared me. I’m so sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No,” Louis pats the space beside him. “I had another dream. This one was… We need to leave here as soon as possible.”

Niall frowns and looks at the paper in his hand. “Did you see Harry again?”

“Yes! But-”

“The history of the priests?”

Louis stops and stares. “Yes… I guess it was a dream, but even now it all seems so vivid to me. Clearly yet I see the beckoning hand of the oracle as she stood at the summit of the staircase. I see still the incredible beauty of the sculptured cities and the pure spirit of man revealed in the lives and works of this world. I was overwhelmed by both wonder and understanding as I saw a completely different way to life, a way that had been crushed by the Federation long ago. I see now how meaningless life has become with the loss of all these things.”

“I couldn’t fall asleep.” Niall’s words fall short.

“Did you hear what I just said? I-”

“I had to write this down before I forgot. I don’t understand its meaning or anything, but I couldn’t forget these words. I could hear a melody in my mind, but I don’t know how to write that, so I wrote the words instead.” Niall hands Louis the paper, bashful all of the sudden. He didn’t want Louis to judge his work too harshly.

_I wandered home through the silent streets_  
And fell into a fitful sleep  
Escape to realms beyond the night  
Dream can't you show me the light? 

_I stand atop a spiral stair_  
An oracle confronts me there  
He leads me on light years away  
Through astral nights, galactic days  
I see the works of gifted hands  
That grace this strange and wondrous land  
I see the hand of man arise  
With hungry mind and open eyes 

_They left our planets long ago_  
The elder race still learn and grow  
Their power grows with purpose strong  
To claim the home where they belong  
Home to tear the Temples down...  
Home to change! 

“Niall… I think you wrote a poem about my dream.” Louis looks up at him, confused. “How did you know that I saw any of this?”

“I didn’t. The words just sort of came to me.” Niall frowns, confused beyond belief.

Louis takes a deep breath. “Pack a bag. We leave tomorrow. I know how to get us to Terra.”

\------------

Niall waits until he’s seen the guard across the street become distracted by his family. He’s never been more thankful for the little girl and her incessant need to disturb the whole neighbourhood. “Go, go, go.”

Louis throws his bag over his shoulder and the two make a break for the city walls. Once outside, the priests won’t send anyone after them since they need to keep up the appearance that only death lays beyond the wall. They hurry as fast as they can, hearing shouts of the guard once he realises his mistake. They push on through, desperate to make it past the wall.

They make it to the bottom and stop to catch their breath, but they can’t wait for long. They can hear the alarms ringing through the city, alerting citizens and guards that they were to be stopped at all costs. Niall looks around quickly and spots an abandoned guard tower a few yards to their left.

“Louis! The tower! It has to have access to the top of the wall!”

Nodding, Louis follows Niall as the two make a break for the stone structure. He’s tired from running, but he knows that if they stop now they’ll be terminated for sure. He pushes through the haze of tiredness and continues to run for his life.

They make it and slam the door shut. Niall slips an old cabinet in front of it to barricade it from the guards. “We have to keep moving. They were right behind us.”

“I know, I know. Where’s the stairs? They have to have access to the wall. They have to!” Louis starts knocking things around in his haste to try and find their exit.

Niall spots it above their head. “It’s a pull down staircase! Watch out!” He jumps up, grabbing the handle to what he hopes is the hidden exit they’ve been searching for. He yanks as hard as he can, pulling open the door in the ceiling. “Watch it!”

The door in the ceiling swings open and a folded up staircase slips down in front of them.

“Yes!” Louis shouts in victory as he smiles brightly at Niall.

Their brief moment is shattered though. There’s an insistent banging on the door behind them and they quickly scramble up the ladder. To try and slow them down even more, the two work together to pull the staircase back into the ceiling and latch the hidden door shut once more. A ladder leads to their next exit: the top of the wall.

They hear the door of the old guard tower splinter and break as they finally leave the safety of the hidden attic and find themselves on top of the city walls.

“What was the plan for getting down?” Louis asks as he throws a wary glance to sand and gravel below them.

Niall looks down as well. He honestly didn’t think they’d get this far, but now that they have he needs to think of something and quick. “Uh, well... “ He looks at Louis. “Our bags! All we packed was clothing so it’s soft. We have to jump. There’s no way around that, but maybe if we land on the bags is won’t be as harsh of a landing.”

Louis looks behind them back at the city that had caused him nothing but pain. He figures that the chance of broken limb was worth the price of freedom. “Let’s do it,” he reaches out and laces his fingers with Niall, “together.”

Nodding, the blond takes a deep breath before rearranging the bags to a more vital protection area. He counts down and can see the panic in Louis’ eyes the close they get to jumping. He takes the step first with Louis only a second behind him. It’s not a long fall, but it’s terrifying to say the least.

They land with a thud and Niall sit up immediately. He feels nothing different than before jumping, although he considers it might just be the pent up anxiety and adrenaline from actually jumping. Either way, he looks to Louis who groans as he sits up.

“Think I landed on my arm wrong.” Louis stands slowly, bag still slung across his shoulder and cradling his left arm. “Won’t effect my speed though. We got to keep moving.”

Niall nods and the two hurry away from the wall where they can still hear the alarms blaring and the shouts of the guards.

\------------

They’re out of breath and ragged looking when they finally make it to the temple ruins. Niall immediately feels in awe and overwhelmed again. “Are we really going to Terra? Couldn’t we just live here in the ruins? This place… It’s amazing.”

“This will be the first place they look for us. We can’t stay here- even if this is amazing.” Louis says as he enters the temple. He takes no notice of the paintings on the walls or the ornate carvings in the columns like Niall did.

He walks with purpose and intention, a far cry from how Niall ever saw him act inside the city walls. The blond doesn’t know if it’s being away from the priests or if Louis is just so desperate to get away from Megadon that he doesn’t care to even stop and look at the history and heroes depicted in amazing fashion. He follows quickly, trying to again catch fleeting glimpses of the art.

Louis continues on through the sanctuary, heading to the altar with no hesitation.

Niall remembers Louis calling it a concert hall last night and how it wasn’t sacred ground, but he still can’t shake the feeling that something spiritual happened here. “So how are we getting to Terra?”

“The waterfall. The oracle told me that it’s a portal to Terra. She said that the ancient ones used to come and go freely between the worlds, but the priests became jealous and scared of the ideas the people would bring back after visiting so they tried to close it. When the attempts to close the portal failed, the priests banned visits to Terra and built the city far from the portal so that the people would forget. That’s why the ruins are here. It’s the only building left of the old city and it keeps the portal safe and hidden.” Louis keeps his voice soft, but the empty chamber magnifies the sound so that Niall hears him loud and clear. He looks over his shoulder to his friend and smiles weakly. “At least I know why they tortured me now. They were scared that if the citizens of Megadon knew, they would want to go back to the old ways and they would lose their power.”

Niall knew all this in theory, but to hear laid out so plainly for him helps him see how much Louis has been through in his short life. Burdened by these dreams that he thought were paradise and to have them ripped away from him before he even had been given the right to choose his own name… It’s a hard pill to swallow and Niall can’t even imagine the torture of having a secret so precious and not being able to share it with the world. “At least Terra is a better world.”

Louis nods and leads the way up the stairs to the altar and even behind the veil to the cavern where Niall had found the guitar. His smile is so bright when he sees exactly the place where the oracle had taken him. “Come on. We’re almost home.”

They climb down the rocky slope to make it to the bottom of the cavern. They can feel the air turn a bit more chilly as they get closer to the water.

“The water… It’s glowing,” Niall whispers.

The water is glowing. It sends reflections across the cavern walls and paints the space in a blue hue. It’s beautiful, unlike anything either of them have seen before. It’s like thousands of tiny crystals sparkling under the dull rays of the suns. Louis reaches forward to touch the surface and finds it to be a weird goo like consistency. 

“It’s not water. Well, not entirely.” He pulls his hand away and looks at the substance coating his fingers. “I don’t know-”

“Space dust.”

The two jump at the sound of a woman’s voice from above. They turn to look and see the oracle from Louis’ dream- very much alive and not a statue.

“The portal will send you hurtling through space- across galaxies and time. It will seem instantaneous for you, but it will take days for you to make this journey. Terra will gladly accept you since the beings there look much like you. You will make a life for yourselves there and live well past the termination age of Megadon. However,” the oracle drops her head a bit to look more at them, “You will no longer be connected to Megadon. Once you leave, you can never return. You are the final bridge between the worlds and once your journey is complete the portal will close forever.”

The two look at each other, a decision being wordlessly made. Louis smiles and laces his fingers with Niall’s own. “There’s nothing for us here. Terra is where we belong.”

The oracle nods. “The portal connects to place called London. From there, it will be up to you to find your way. You will no longer have dreams or music to guide you. Fair well.”

With her final words, she disappeared and the two are left on their own.

\------------

Harry laughs as Mitch chokes on his beer. Sarah had been telling everyone about her wild night out and amazing guy she took home from the bar when she accidentally let it slip that her ‘amazing guy’ had actually been Mitch.

“Well, congratulations on the sex. As long as it doesn’t interfere with work, I don’t care who you get your rocks off with.” Harry can’t help the self satisfied grin though. He had been trying to push the two of them together for months, but according to Sarah it had been going on for a while and they appeared to be able to work well together now. He doubted that would change.

The tour manager pops his head into the backstage room with a sheepish smile. “We’re leaving for the hotel. Remember that you all have to be on the buses by noon tomorrow and that the venue staff has to clean up for another act tomorrow night. Don’t stay too late and keep them here all night.”

The band says their goodbyes to the man and the room falls into a comfortable silence. “So where can we party in London where no one can take sleazy pictures for the Daily Mail?”

“We could always go to The Box. I can call right now and get a table ready for us in about 20 minutes.” Harry picks up the empty beer cans and places them in the trash. He wants to leave the place as clean as he can so the venue staff doesn’t have to waste time on something he could have done.

Clare pulls a face. “Everytime we go there you always get papped. Let’s try something a little inconspicuous. Maybe throw on a tshirt and jeans and a hat and just go to a local bar. We’re in London. No one is going to care if Harry Styles goes to a pub in the city. I guarantee you we won’t even be the most famous person on the streets.”

The rest of the band seem to like that, so Harry agrees as well. He hasn’t been to an honest to god pub since… Well, in a long time. It’s been fancy restaurants and over priced clubs for as long as he can remember so a nice change of scenery would be good. “Alright. Finish up and I’ll see where we can get a drink around here.”

They end up a few blocks away at some pub called the The Distillers and Clare was right. No one seems to care to recognise him inside and Harry is actually rather relieved that he can just relax for once. Adam hurries them upstairs for the live music that’s set to start soon and they somehow manage to snag a booth in the corner away from the upstairs bar.

“So this is how the common folk live it up,” Mitch joke as he practically melts into the booth seat with one arm hung loosely around Sarah’s shoulders. “We should do this more often. I don’t feel bad for wasting a pound or two on shitty beer instead of paying ten pounds for some high end beer that I don’t like and take maybe two sips of the whole night.”

The five of them laugh and joke around, grabbing a pint each before the musician is set to start.

The sound of an acoustic guitar being strummed comes through the room and the crowd seems to liven up. There’s clapping and few hoots from a table or two around the room. Harry sits up straighter to try and see the man on stage.

“Thank you. I don’t really know why you all show up for this. I barely know how to play.” A thick accented voice rolls through the room and a chuckle follows the words. “Be sure to tip the bartender well. He’s my partner so anything you tip him ends up in my pocket too. Plus, he’s a bit shy and what not. In fact give him a hand. He keeps the drinks coming and he deserves the gratitude. Louis?”

Harry looks to the bar to see a smaller man behind the counter, laughing at what the man on stage said. He looks familiar, but Harry can’t quite place him. He’s definitely Harry’s type though- brown hair, blue eyes, a smile to die for… Harry is almost upset that the boy is taken.

The guitar starts again and the voice that comes through the speakers makes Harry’s blood run cold. He’s heard this voice before. It’s the voice that randomly makes up songs in his mind. It’s the voice he’s heard for as long as he can remember. Even worse, he’s singing one of the made up songs that Harry played for Mitch the other day.

_So if we knew all along_  
Why did it take so long?  
I've known since we were young  
So why did it take so long?  
You know you make me feel loved  
Make me feel like I'm home  
So if we knew all along  
Why did it take so long? 

Mitch frowns and looks across the table at Harry.

Harry shakes his head, bewilderment and wonder on his face. He had never written down or shared any of the songs this voice had given him, but the one time he showed someone else he finds the voice. He just had to share this song. The words were so beautifully written and the melody was just heartbreaking enough to command the attention of everyone who heard it.

The song continues and Harry finds himself staring at the bartender once more. He feels so off balance here and he doesn’t like it. He signals to Mitch that they need to talk.

“Babe,” Mitch says quietly, “I gotta use the bathroom. Let me out.”

Once they’re in the bathroom, Harry locks the door behind them. He’s never been so thankful for single stall restrooms in his life. “Okay, that was-”

“Your song! He had to of stolen it. Who knew you were working on that song? Who does he have connections to?” Mitch looks angry and ready to take matters into his own hands.

Harry shakes his head. “No one. Only you’ve heard it. I’ve only played it for you. But, Mitch-”

“Then he’s bugged the bus or something! Harry, you’ve got to serve him a court order to cease and desist. If you put that song on your album and the people who have heard him remember it then it’ll be your career that’s over. Especially since they’ll have record of you being here since you’re paying with plastic and you’d release it after hearing it tonight. We’ve got to figure this out!”

 

“Mitch-”

“Why aren’t you freaking out?”

“Because it’s his song!”

Mitch blinks a few times before frowning. “Harry, you played that song for me a week ago. How could it possibly be his song?”

Harry sighs. “I know this sounds crazy, but it’s his song. For as long as I can remember, I hear random songs I’ve never even heard before in my head. I thought for a long time that maybe I was just really gifted at writing and making tunes, but they were never in my voice. They’re in his. It’s his song. It has to be his song.”

“So how many of your hits are actually his?”

“None,” Harry says quickly. “The one I played for you a week ago was the first time I ever played one of his songs for anyone else. God, I’ve been wondering why I kept hearing these songs and who could be writing them and now I know who it is.”

A knock on the door startles them and makes them remember they’re in a very public place. “Shit. Just a minute!”

Mitch gives Harry a look to let him know that this discussion isn’t over before unlocking the door and heading out.

A brunet pops his head in and looks surprised when he sees Harry standing in there. “Oh! Sorry, mate. Saw that guy walk out and thought it was clear. I, um, didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Did you guys at least finish? I can bunk off if you want to-”

“No,” Harry is quick to stop that thought. “No, we just needed a private place to talk without heading outside. Um…” That when he realises it’s the bartender standing in the doorway. “Oh shit. You’re Louis, yeah?”

“The one and only. Niall likes to put me on the spot. He knows how flustered I get when that happens.” He sticks his hand out in greeting. “You must be Harry Styles. Pleasure to meet you.”

Harry’s eyes widen. “Oh, so you recognise me?”

Louis’ face pales at that and he suddenly looks super anxious. “It’s a, uh, long story. How have your headaches been?”

“I haven’t had any in awhile, but… Wait. How did you know about that?” They had kept Harry’s debilitating headaches out of the tabloids so that wasn’t public knowledge. There was no way this stranger knew about that. Unless he was stalking Harry.

“Fuck.”

\------------

It’s past closing time and Harry is sitting at the bar nursing three fingers worth of whiskey. The entertainer from tonight, Niall as the pop star soon learned, is on his left and Louis is behind the bar looking anxious.

“So, I know how impossible this all sounds, but I’m not stalking you. We,” Louis sends a careful look to Niall, “aren’t from Earth. We’re from a planet called Megadon and it’s hundred of thousands light years away from Earth. Our society was oppressive. Ever since I can remember I had dreams about Earth. I didn’t really understand them or always remember them, but once I got old enough to realise that the people in my dreams were always the same I tried paying attention more to them.”

Niall sighs. He doesn’t know how to explain any of this to Harry without sounding like a complete crazy. “Look, I’m going to dumb it down as best I can. Your headaches? They’re Louis’ fault. His dreams weren’t dreams. He was literally in your head and seeing your experiences.”

“What? That’s-”

“Impossible? I know. But it’s true. I don‘t know why we’re connected or why my dreams were specifically your experiences, but they were. You took me to my first concert. You showed me how important music is. Coming from a society that was so oppressive your experiences were a break from the normal and the last few months while we’ve been here I’ve missed them so much.” Louis looks down to the counter.

Harry licks his lips. He knows that it all sounds impossible and like an elaborate stalker plan, but he can’t help but find himself believing Louis. He somewhere in the back of his mind knows that they’re connected for a reason. “I don’t not believe you. I mean, it’s completely impossible and something right from a science fiction novel, but I know you’re not lying.” He looks to Niall. “Doesn’t explain why your voice and music have been in my head for years.”

Niall shrugs and twirls his glass around on his coaster. “That I can’t help you with. I didn’t start seriously trying to write music until we got here six months ago. I’ve put some stuff together though.”

“I want you all to come on the road with me. I’ll make some excuse, but I want to explore this. Niall, I’ll sign you on as a new talent and have you record your music. It’s amazing. The world needs to hear it. Louis… I have no clue what to say about you, but I want you with us. Please… Come with me?”

Louis looks to Niall. Niall looks to Louis. A silent conversation.

\------ 2 years later ------

“I know it’s your job. I just miss you both so much.” Louis pouts as he looks at his boyfriends through the screen of his phone.

It had been a crazy two years, but Louis now finds himself in a relationship with both Harry and Niall and he’s never been happier. It took months for Harry to even approach them about their relationship, but when he finally admitted wanted to be with both of them it was an easy decision.

Niall and Louis had never really considered their sexuality since back on Megadon you were paired with someone and expected to raise the children the priests placed in your home. Even now they shrug and look confused when people ask about their preference. They answer is always the same: they love each other and Harry.

Their relationship isn’t always easy. Having never considered the concept of attraction, Niall and Louis aren’t the most affectionate physically. They may hold hands or kiss each others cheeks, but that’s as far as they considering going with each other. Harry has told them that’s fine- sex doesn’t need to be in every relationship- but it always makes their relationship with him a bit harder to navigate. They came to the agreement that sex is too intimate for the two of them, but they each feel comfortable that way with Harry. 

It’s a hard and complicated relationship to explain, but with each other everything makes sense. 

“We’ll be home soon. Niall finishes his tour tomorrow night and then I have two shows here and we’ll be home for Christmas. I promise.” Harry smiles brightly at his boyfriend and tries not to tell him how much he wants to be curled up in their bed together with both of them in disgusting sweaters and sweats and fuzzy socks. “And we’ll celebrate your birthday when we get home too. We’re going to treat you like the prince you are.”

Niall comes into view and kisses Harry’s cheek. “Don’t worry, Lou. We’re counting down the days till we see you.”

Louis takes a screenshot of the sweet moment to add to his growing collection on his phone. “I know you are and I am too. I love you both so much.”

“We love you too. Get some sleep, love,” Harry says softly. They finish their goodbyes and end the call.

Niall loops his arms around Harry’s neck and kisses along his jawline. “Do you think he knows what’s coming?”

“Not a chance.” Harry smiles and looks over at the matching ring boxes sitting on the nightstand. “Not a chance.”


End file.
